Song of my Heart
by Lady Isludis
Summary: Jack never really knew his father, but the dilapidated patch of farmland he's inherited holds many secrets, and for Jack, unhappy memories. Lumina is unsure of the newcomer, but bound and determined to discover the reason for his sadness.
1. Prologue

_So despite the fact that this story had been untouched for nearly 3 years, I decided to polish up the spelling/grammar and give it a whirl. This one is going to be significantly shorter than my other works, for the most part it's all planned out and ready to go. Hoping that this recent bout of inspiration is contagious, and that I'll be wrapped up before Christmas (but not LITERALLY lol). You'll also be able to see the chapters on Harvest Moon Otaku.  
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_~Lady Isludis/Sugar Rave  
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><p><em>Prologue:<em>

He hadn't been expecting this... not anything like this.

Time had certainly taken it's toll on the place, probably more so after the incident. The memory still left him with a chill. He'd just gotten home from working late, too tired to cook even though he was starving, and too tired to study for the fast approaching university entrance exams. He collapsed on the couch, and could've easily fallen asleep right on the spot if the phone hadn't woke him up a fraction of a second later.

He grumbled and lifted the receiver... That's when he should've clued in. Who on earth would be calling him at this hour when they all knew he was working late? Lazily addressing the speaker, he didn't receive the response he expected.

The shock jolted him awake, causing him to almost drop the phone. Every other worry in his head was simultaneously shoved aside. He fought back tears, but in a losing battle.

A couple of months later, here he stood. Surveying the piece of property that was left to him by it's previous owner. His father.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Faded Memories

"I don't believe it!" Jack Becket stated as he Shook his head. "I just don't believe it..." He was aware that in the time his Father had been ill, the little hobby farm hadn't gotten all of the attention it needed, but he never expected the situation to be this bad.

Most of the buildings had been hand-constructed by his father before Jack was even born, and from years of use, they were beginning to fail. But until this point there had always been someone trying to fix them.

Now, pretty much everything made of wood (about 80% of the entire farm) was beginning to rot. The white paint of the chicken coop had yellowed and was almost completely peeled away, the roof of the barn was beginning to cave in, and the door of the old shed was still jarred shut in some impossible way. He always remembered his Dad complaining about how that blasted thing ate some of his good tools.

Jack had never really been close to his father, his parents (though still legally married) had separated, and lived in separate homes. Jack lived with his mother and siblings in the City. He'd visit every now and then, but over time he found less and less time to do so.

Jack leaned on the fence as he surveyed the plot, but stood up as it started to give way under his weight. "I guess I'll have to fix that too..." He groaned, running one hand through his chocolate brown hair. "Didn't Dad have any hired help?"

"As a matter of fact no..." Came a gruff, aged voice. "I assume you must be Jack?"

Started by the sudden appearance of the stranger, Jack jumped up and spun around. "You..you knew him?" He stammered.

"Of course I knew him..." The speaker replied matter of factly. "This farm actually belongs to... well, belonged to the both of us..." He turned away slightly, scratching his neck. Jack looked down at his feet.

"What happened here?" He asked quietly.

Takakura sighed. "Time...A few other things, but mostly time..."

"Couldn't you have fixed up a few things?" Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I've tried..." He admitted in defeat. "But, It's really too big a job for just me alone."

"Oh..."

"Well, let me show you where everything is..." Takakura said as he patted Jack on the back.

He lead Jack around the farm, showing him where all of the tools were, where the animal feed and equipment was being stored, that sort of thing. Jack also made a mental note of the things that were going to need fixing. It wasn't like at his appartment, where if there was any sort of problem he had to report it, and someone would come in to fix it later. He'd be in charge of fixing everything himself. That worried him.

When they reached the barn, Takakura waived him inside. "I've got something I want to show you..." He said. Jack did as instructed, and stepped inside the door. He was greeted by a large, smelly animal with big brown eyes and spots. The cow must've either liked him right off the bat, or smelled the granola bar he'd had for breakfast still on his breath, either way, she gave him a wet, sloppy kiss.

"Eeew.." Jack whimpered. Takakura roared with laughter as he tried to find some way to dry his face off.

"Well you two have gotten off to a good start." He chuckled.

"You don't say..." Jack said sarcastically.

"I bought her to help get you started, but she doesn't have a name yet."

"You want me to name her?"

"Your cow..." Takakura shrugged.

Jack thought long and hard. He wasn't partucularly good at naming things. He'd wanted to name his goldfish after the one in pinochio, but couldn't remember her name at the pet shop. So, Goldie it had been. (AN: True story XD)

"Kiri?" He asked. It was a bit of a shot in the dark, but it stuck in his mind for some reason.

"Kiri..." Takakura mused. "A little strange, but I guess it'll work."

Jack held his hand out, and Kiri licked it. He shuddered, like some electric current had gone up his spine. "Eeeew."

After the tour, Jack brought his luggage into the little farmhouse, and plunked it all down in a heap. The resulting cloud of dust was enough to make him gag, and his eyes started to tear up.

"This... won't be good for my allergies..." He sputtered.

It was late, so he changed, brushed his teeth, and was about to go to bed. The mattress looked a bit 'indented' in the middle, so he tested it with one hand. "I guess this'll hold my weight..." He mused.

Shrugging it off, he flopped onto the bed, and...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Before he knew it, The mattress had literally caved in, and folded up like a beach chair.

"Urrrg... Help!" He cried out. "I'M BEING EATEN ALIVE!"

He struggled to get the mattress to release it's hold, but to no avail. Before long he was completely exhausted, and the dust wasn't helping so much either.

"At this rate I'm gonna suffocate!"

Fortunately, the mattress relinquished it's hold, and Jack was able to breathe deeply again.

"Haven't you ever slept on a fold-out before?" Takakura grunted as he wrenched the folded up bed back into it's proper position.

"No..." Jack wheezed.

Takakura was one of those men who wore a perpetual grimace, though Jack still swore the older man was smiling, or at least smirking at him.

"Just, try not to land on it too hard next time."

Jack sighed, annoyed. As soon as he could afford it, this awful thing was on it's way to the curb. He brushed the dust off his pajamas, which then triggered a coughing jag.

"Can this get any more uncomfortable?"

Later that night, a steady rain began to fall, seeping through the cracks and holes in the roof. Aside from the cold (and the noisy creaks and groans that came from the structure), Jack couldn't keep from thinking about his Dad.

They weren't rich, but they weren't poor either. Sometimes it still seemed as if they were teetering.

Jack had never been a kid who'd asked for much, though he'd always had what he needed. His parents made sure of that.

Then one day, the family photo was missing a person.


End file.
